Page 5 of Beast

“Is that a good idea?”King asked, his tone laced with skepticism.

“It’s the only idea I have.If only one of us returns and it’s her, you’ll get your shot.”

King’s jaws opened, then snapped shut.Whatever comeback he’d planned, he wisely decided against it.Maybe he’d finally realized that my patience had run out.

“Che, come,” King commanded, taking off at a slow jog to let Che keep up.Running the boy into the ground would be a good start to his punishment.Che gave me one last look, as if weighing his options, before deciding that his best chance of survival was sticking with King.

When the sound of their departure faded, replaced by the soft chirping of crickets and the rustle of small animals, I let Ruth drop.She landed on her head just inches from the ground, tumbling into a tangled mess of arms, legs, and curses that no twelve-year-old should know.I stepped forward casually, planting my boot on her hair.She swung at my leg, her fists making contact, but I barely felt it.

“This is how easy you are to kill,” I said coldly.“For some reason, you still don’t get that.I could kick your head in right now, and there’s nothing you could do to stop me.”My hand moved to the sword strapped at my hip.It was a gift from King, designed after a sixteenth-century German Mortuary Sword, double-edged, thirty-six inches long, with two fullers to reduce its weight when I carried it in human form.The blade was perfect for removing a hellhound’s head without getting bitten or scratched.I let my fingers brush the pommel, a small, deliberate caress.“Or I could cut your head clean off before you even had a chance to move.Isn’t that what you want?”

Ruth thrashed beneath me, her words spilling out in a frantic, incoherent jumble.I didn’t release her hair, and with the way she was pulling against my boot, I knew it had to hurt.

“I hate you!”she finally yelled; her voice raw with fury when her escape attempts failed.

“I think you’ve said it enough times for it to finally sink in.Want to try something more original?”I asked, sounding almost bored.

“I can kill hellhounds just as good as you!”she spat, defiance blazing in her eyes.

I used my other foot to press against her shoulder, pushing her onto her back.She glared up at me with all the fury of an enraged pit bull.The fire in her eyes still held a flicker of knowledge, but it was fading fast.

“No.You can’t,” I said.Kneeling down, I leaned in close and whispered, “You are human, even if you don’t want to be.Killing hellhounds is dangerous for you because one scratch or bite, and you’re dead.No second chances.The same goes for Che.It’s bad enough you have a death wish, but Che doesn’t deserve to be pulled under by your stupidity.Neither does his mother, who has already lost too much.”

She blinked a few times, and I could’ve sworn she was holding back tears.“You hate me,” she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Whatever demons she was battling ran deeper than any of us had realized.The bigger problem was that her reckless behavior made her a danger to our entire community.For all our sakes, I needed to adjust her insanity.So, I pushed harder.“You gonna cry, little baby?”

“You bi—” she started, her voice venomous.

I pressed a finger against her lips.“That word should never come out of your mouth,” I said sharply.Before I could finish, she tried to bite me.My thumb slid under her chin while my forefinger pressed hard against her lips, pinning them to her teeth.“I’m going to let you up and give you one shot at killing me.It’s the only chance you’ll ever get without retaliation, so you better make it count.”

I bounced back onto the balls of my feet and watched as she climbed shakily to hers.When she stood, I nudged her sword with the tip of my boot, flipping it up, and caught it midair.Tossing it to her, I widened my stance, spreading my arms to expose my chest.“Go ahead.”

“What are you doing?”she demanded, her eyes gleaming with a disturbingly creepy light.

The kid was so bloodthirsty I could’ve sworn she was part vampire.“You want to kill me?Go for it.I’m tired of fighting you.”

Her eyes darted around, and then she hesitated, taking a small step back.“You won’t just stand there and let me kill you.”

“Try me,” I said.

With a scream loud enough to wake the dead, Ruth charged at me.I stood my ground, not flinching as her sword arced toward my throat.The blade stopped a millimeter from my skin.I had to admit, I was impressed by her control, and an idea began to form.

“I could have killed you,” she accused, her voice shaking with anger.

“Yes, you could have.”It wouldn’t have killed me due to how tired she was, but it would have caused severe damage.I placed my hand against the blade, and she didn’t stop me as I pushed it away from my throat.“What I’m wondering is why you didn’t.You’ve hated me since you arrived.Why?”

Her small features scrunched up, and at last, tears began to streak down her cheeks.My heart cracked a little, but I kept my words of comfort to myself.She hadn’t completed the strike, and I needed to understand what was happening in her chaotic mind.

“She’s weak,” Ms.Beast whispered through my thoughts.

“She’s a child,” I shot back silently.

“Protect child,” came her soft reply.

“Leave me alone, and I will.You’re complicating things.”

For once, Ms.Beast retreated, leaving me to focus entirely on Ruth.“You had your chance.Why didn’t you take it?”I asked again.

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